Days ago, the worldwide search for an actress to play Lisbeth Salander, the punky protagonist at the center of Columbia Pictures adaptation of Steig Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (and two more films to follow) ended. Rooney Mara, a relatively unknown 24-year-old landed the coveted role and will undoubtedly be shot to fame quicker than a reality TV star. But what of Noomi Rapace, the relatively unknown 30-year-old Swedish actress who masterfully led the original adaptations of The Millennium Trilogy (The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest round out the series)?
Industry insiders are already dubbing Rapace as the next big thing in Hollywood, a town that loves to find talent abroad and bring them to mainstream American films. I liken her soon-to-be meteoric rise to the cases of Sam Worthington and Marion Cotillard. The Aussie could barely grab a decent gig in the States before James Cameron cast him as the lead in Avatar and now he's got enough work to keep him busy for the next few years. Cotillard, the French actress who became an over-night sensation with La Vie En Rose, went on to star in blockbuster films like Public Enemies and Inception. If these earlier examples prove anything, it's that a single role can can change the course of one's career and given Deadline's recent report, it looks like Rapace may be next in line to become an honored Hollywood Import.
Sources close to the actress claim that she has been pursued by nearly every studio in town to make her big Tinsel Town debut. Warner Brothers has approached her about working on Sherlock Holmes 2 and Paramount Pictures and director Brad Bird are actively pursuing her for Mission: Impossible IV. With offers like those coming in, I can't wait to see what kind of leading roles she's going to be offered in the near future.
But the love Rapace is feeling doesn't end with studio executives, she's got taste makers eating out of her hand as well. Director/producer Brett Ratner jumped at the chance just to meet her, while McG wants her to play the villain in his new action-comedy This Means War at 20th Century Fox. She also met with Brad Fischer for the Phoenix Pictures project The Last Voyage Of The Demeter, Jon Amiel on his latest (believed to be titled Masterwork), James McTeigue on The Raven and Tommy Wirkola on Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters.
Most significant though is the talk of Noomi getting an Oscar nomination for her work on The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. The foreign film was a huge success overseas and has thrilled select American audiences who came out to see what all the fuss was about. Deadline's Nikki Finke has confirmed that Rapace does qualify for an Academy Award, as Music Box Films released director Niels Arden Oplev's Dragon Tattoo in a Los Angeles County theater for an awards run this past March, thus making Rapace's performance eligible. The company has also hired an Oscar publicist to promote Noomi for a Best Actress nomination.
Whether or not Noomi Rapace takes the stage at The Kodak Theater this February is anyone's guess, but what is a sure thing is that she has left her mark on both global cinema as the most authentic embodiment of Larsson's beloved character and on Hollywood's most powerful players as a talented and strong actress. I hope that she gets the chance to show American audiences what everyone is show business already sees: a hard worker capable of complete transformation and wonderful performances.
Source: Deadline

Real life couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly are to play man and wife on the big screen in a Charles Darwin biopic.
Bettany will play Darwin and Connelly will take on the role of the English naturalist's wife Emma in director Jon Amiel's Creation.
The movie, based on a book written by Darwin's great-great-grandson Randal Keynes, chronicles the scholar's early years, as he struggles to cope with the loss of a child.
Jeremy Northam and Atonement star Benedict Cumberbatch have also signed up for the project, which will be partly filmed on location at Down House in Kent, England, where the Darwins actually lived, according to Daily Variety.
The film's release will coincide with the bicentenary of Darwin's birth in 2009.
This will be the second time Bettany and Connelly have worked together, they met and fell in love on the set of 2001's A Beautiful Mind.
(c) 2008 WORLD ENTERTAINMENT NEWS NETWORK LTD. All global rights reserved. No unauthorized copying or re-distributing permitted.

This weekend at the box office, moviegoers finally got to work out their frustrations.
As expected, the new comedy Anger Management beat the daylights out of the competition with a whooping $44.5 million,* making it the highest opener of 2003 (topping Daredevil, which opened in February with $40.3 million).
"The comedy genre this year is just incapable of burning out," Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations told the Associated Press. "People are looking to blow off steam. What better way than seeing a movie that combines Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler?"
And Management was apparently all moviegoers wanted to see this weekend, as the rest of the list paled miserably in comparison. Last week's top dog Phone Booth, came in at No.2 with a measly $7.5 million, while the teenybopper What a Girl Wants took third with $6.7 million.
Rounding out the Top Five were the enduring comedy Bringing Down the House, which held the fourth spot with $4.6 million and the cop drama A Man Apart, which came in a No. 5 with $4.4 million. Horror newcomer House of 1,000 Corpses opened in seventh place with $3.4 million in limited theaters.
Even with Management's huge numbers, this weekend's box office only jumped five percent from last weekend. Still, the film helped revive a four-week slump, which is a good sign that things may finally be picking up.
THE TOP TEN
Sony Pictures' PG-13 Anger Management screamed its way to the top with an ESTIMATED $44.5 million in 3,551 theaters ($12,532 per theater).
The film's strong opening makes it the best April opener of all time, beating out The Scorpion King, which opened in 2002 at $36 million. It's also the best opening film for both its stars Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler. Nicholson's best opening to date had been Batman, which hit theaters in 1989 and took in $40.5 million its first weekend, while Sandler's 1999 Big Daddy was his biggest at $41.5 million.
Management follows the exploits of a mild-mannered man who is mistakenly ordered into an anger management program to battle his inner demons--but it turns out the only real demon in his life is his unorthodox therapist.
Directed by Peter Segal, it stars Sandler, Nicholson, Marisa Tomei and John Turturro.
20th Century Fox's R-rated Phone Booth called in at No. 2 with an ESTIMATED $7.5 million, dropping 50 percent from its top spot last week. The thriller about a man trapped in a phone booth by a homicidal sniper played at 2,489 theaters ($3,023 per theater) and its cume is approximately $26.6 million.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, it stars Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland and Forest Whitaker.
Slipping down a spot to third was Warner Bros.' PG-rated What a Girl Wants with an ESTIMATED $6.7 million (-41%) at 2,964 theaters (+ 8 theaters, $2,260 per theater). The Teen Beat comedy, which follows a young American girl who heads to London in hopes of meeting the father she's never known, a high-profile politician, has collected approximately $20.4 million thus far.
Directed by Dennie Gordon, it stars Amanda Bynes, Kelly Preston and Colin Firth.
Proving comedies are indeed the flavor of the year, Buena Vista's PG-13 Bringing Down the House moved up one place to fourth with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-45%) at 2,830 theaters (-80 theaters, $1,625 per theater). Now in its sixth week, the laffer's cume is approximately $117.7 million.
Directed by Adam Shankman, it stars Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.
New Line Cinema's R-rated A Man Apart dropped a few notches to fifth place with an ESTIMATED $4.4 million (-60%) at 2,495 theaters (+36 theaters, $1,784 per theater). The cop drama--about a U.S. narcotics officer who takes on a Tijuana drug cartel to get retribution for the murder of his wife--has taken in approximately $18.2 million so far.
Directed by F. Gary Gray, it stars Vin Diesel and Larenz Tate.
DreamWorks' PG-13 Head of State slid from No. 4 to No.6 with an ESTIMATED $4 million (-53%) at 2,256 theaters (+101 theaters, $1,773 per theater). Its cume is approximately $30.9 million.
Directed by and starring Chris Rock, the film also stars Bernie Mac, Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens and Tamala Jones.
And for those horror fans--Lions Gate's R-rated House of 1,000 Corpses debuted in seventh place with an ESTIMATED $3.4 million at 595 theaters ($5,714 per theater).
Set in the 1970s, the film revolves around two young couples who take a misguided tour onto the back roads of America and are set upon by a bizarre family of psychotics. Murder, cannibalism and satanic rituals are just a few of the thousand horrors that await.
Director by heavy-metal singer Rob Zombie, it stars Karen Black, Michael J. Pollard, Bill Moseley and Chris Hardwick.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Miramax Films' PG-13 Chicago held onto eighth place with an ESTIMATED $3.29 million (-36%) at 2,114 theaters (-281 theaters, $1,556 per theater). Now in its 16th week, Miramax's most profitable film has earned approximately $156.9 million.
Directed by Rob Marshall, it stars Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere.
Taking a dive three spots to dig in at No. 9, ,Paramount Pictures' PG-13 The Core shoveled in an ESTIMATED $3.22 million (-48%) at 3,019 theaters ($1,068 per theater). The disaster thriller about saving the Earth by jumpstarting its core has made $25.6 million in three weeks.
Directed by Jon Amiel, it stars Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Delroy Lindo, Stanley Tucci, D.J. Qualls and Tcheky Karyo.
Also shaving off three spots to claim tenth place was Sony's R-rated Basic, which came in with an ESTIMATED $2.2 million (-59%) at 2,246 theaters (-630 theaters, $980 per theater). Its cume is approximately $23.8 million.
Directed by John McTiernan, it stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Connie Nielsen.
OTHERS
Guess word of mouth counts for something. The critically acclaimed R-rated independent film Better Luck Tomorrow from Paramount Classics opened in 13 theaters with an ESTIMATED $398,489, averaging a very healthy $30,653 per theater.
The film plays on the story of straight-A, Asian-American teens in Southern California who, bored with their suburban lives, slide into petty crimes that lead to violence.
"These kids could be anybody," Van Toffler, MTV president told AP. "It's silly to underestimate the eclectic moviegoing tastes of our demographic. The cast doesn't have to look or feel like them for them to want to see it."
Directed by Justin Lin, it stars Parry Shen, Jason Tobin, John Cho and Karin Anna Cheung.
WEEKEND COMPARISONS
The Top 12 films this weekend grossed an ESTIMATED $ 86.9 million, up 5.76 percent from last week when they totaled $82.2 million. The Top 12 were also up 6.30 percent from last year when they totaled $81.7 million.
Last year, Paramount Pictures' R-rated Changing Lanes opened in the top spot with $17.1 million at 2,613 theaters ($6,555 per theaters). The Panic Room came in No.2 with $10.6 million at 3,119 theaters ($3,405 per theater) while Sony's The Sweetest Thing debuted in third with $9.4 million at 2,670 theaters ($3,532 per theater).

Colin Farrell's Phone Booth sniped the competition by ringing in $15 million* and debuting at the top of the box office this weekend.
The hit-man thriller thwarted newcomers What a Girl Wants, which came in second with $12 million, and A Man Apart, which followed in third with $11.1 million.
The Chris Rock comedy Head of State, last week's No. 1 film, fell to fourth place with $8.8 million, while the Queen Latifah/Steve Martin laffer Bringing Down the House rounded out the Top Five with $8.5 million.
Box office numbers, however, were still down considerably from this time last year. It was the fourth straight weekend that revenues have shown a decline. And while studio executives blame the war in Iraq for the dwindling box office figures, analysts say movie choices this year have generally been weaker than the first part of 2002, when Ice Age, Blade II, John Q and The Panic Room opened to bigger numbers.
"The fact that it's down four weekends in a row, everybody says, hey, this has to do with the war and people's moods," Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations, told The Associated Press. "But no matter what the mood of the country, if there are good movies out there, people will want to go see them."
THE TOP TEN
Twentieth Century Fox's new R-rated sniper thriller Phone Booth shot to the top of the chart this weekend with an ESTIMATED $15 million at 2,481 theaters. Its $6,056 per theater average was the highest of any wide release playing this week.
The film revolves around a New York City media consultant who answers a ringing phone in a phone booth and finds himself trapped after being told by a caller--a serial killer with a sniper rifle--that he'll be shot dead if he hangs up.
Directed by Joel Schumacher, it stars Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland and Forest Whitaker.
Warner Brother's PG rated 'tween pic What a Girl Wants debuted in second place with an ESTIMATED $12 million at 2,964 theaters ($4,069 per theater).
The film follows a young American girl who heads to London in hopes of meeting the father she's never known, a high-profile politician.
Directed by Dennie Gordon, it stars Amanda Bynes, Kelly Preston and Colin Firth.
New Line Cinema's new R-rated cop drama A Man Apart opened third with an ESTIMATED $11.5 million at 2,459 theaters ($4,534 per theater).
In the film, a U.S. narcotics cop takes on a Tijuana drug cartel to get retribution for the murder of his wife.
Directed by F. Gary Gray, it stars Vin Diesel and Larenz Tate.
DreamWorks' PG-13 political comedy Head of State fell from No. 1 to No. 4 in its second week of release with an ESTIMATED $8.8 million (-35%) at 2,155 theaters (+4 theaters, $4,084 per theater). Its cume is approximately $25.3 million.
Directed by and starring Chris Rock, the film also stars Bernie Mac, Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens and Tamala Jones.
Buena Vista's PG-13 rated jailbreak comedy Bringing Down the House dropped from second to fifth place in its fifth week of release with an ESTIMATED $8.5 million (-32%) at 2,910 theaters (unchanged, $2,921 per theater). Its cume is approximately $111.3 million.
Directed by Adam Shankman, it stars Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Paramount Pictures' PG-13 sci-fi thriller The Core, fell three notches to sixth place in its second week of release with an ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-48%) at 3,019 (+2 theaters, $2087 per theater). Its cume is approximately $20.9 million.
Directed by Jon Amiel, it stars Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Delroy Lindo, Stanley Tucci, D.J. Qualls and Tcheky Karyo.
Sony Pictures' R-rated Basic dropped three pegs to seventh with an ESTIMATED $5.4 million (-53%) at 2,876 theaters (+ 2 theaters, $1,878 per theater). Its cume is approximately $20 million.
Directed by John McTiernan, it stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Connie Nielsen.
In its 15th week of release, Miramax's PG-13 rated musical Chicago continued as a mainstay in the Top Ten, dropping from fifth to eighth place with an ESTIMATED $5.3 million (-26%) at 2,395 theaters (-306 theaters, $2,219 per theater). Its cume is approximately $152.1 million.
Directed by Rob Marshall, it stars Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere.
MGM's PG-rated Agent Cody Banks fell from seventh to ninth place in its fourth week of release with an ESTIMATED $3.7 million (-42%) at 2,331 theaters (-455 theaters, $1,587 per theater average). Its cume is approximately $40 million.
Directed by Harald Zwart, it stars Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff and Angie Harmon.
Rounding out the Top Ten is Buena Vista's G-rated animated feature Piglet's Big Movie, which dropped two positions in its third week of release with an ESTIMATED $3 million (-39%) at 2,084 theaters (-63 theaters, $1,484 per theater average). Its cume is approximately $17 million.
Directed by Francis Glebas, it features the voices of John Fiedler, James Cummings and Andre Stojka.
OTHERS
This weekend also saw the arrival of two limited-release films, Dysfunktional Family and The Good Thief.
Miramax's R-rated Dysfunktional Family opened with an ESTIMATED $1.1 million at 609 theaters with $1,827 per theater average.
The film is a stand-up-comedy concert film featuring Eddie Griffin that includes scenes from the comedian's personal life.
Directed by George Gallo, it stars Griffin.
Fox Searchlight's R-rated crime comedy The Good Thief, meanwhile, opened with an ESTIMATED $1,00,000 in six theaters, with a whopping $15,292 per theater average.
The film revolves around an aging gambler who assembles a team for a casino heist of a lifetime.
Directed by Neil Jordan, it stars Nick Nolte, Tcheky Karyo and Emir Kusturica.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
The Top 12 films this weekend grossed an ESTIMATED $84 million, down 3.14 percent from last week when they totaled $86.7 million.
The Top 12 were also down 10.17 percent from last year when they totaled $93.5 million.
Last year, Sony's R-rated The Panic Room won the box office two weeks in a row with $18.2 million at 3,053 theaters ($5,969 per theater); Fox's R-rated High Crimes debuted in second with $14 million at 2,717 theaters ($5,155 per theater); and Fox's PG rated animated feature Ice Age came in third in its fourth week of release with $13.5 million at 3,200 theaters ($4,329 per theater).

It's very clear that during the current world turmoil, as war is played out 24 hours a day on television, audiences want to go to the movie to escape--and laugh their butts off.
The new Chris Rock comedy Head of State took the top office in movieland this weekend with a nice $14 million* in pocket change, defeating incumbant Bringing Down the House . The Queen Latifah/Steve Martin laffer followed closely behind with $12.5 million. So far, six of the ten top ten grossing films released in 2003 have been comedies.
"There's strong evidence that comedies are on people's minds," Jim Tharp, head of distribution for DreamWorks which released Head of State, told The Associated Press.
The other new releases were neck-and-neck in the final tally: The disaster film The Core opened at No. 3 at $12.4 million, while the military drama Basic came in fourth place with $12.1 million.
Meanwhile, no doubt capitalizing on winning six Oscars last weekend, including Best Picture, Chicago rounds out the top five with $7.4 million.
Overall box office numbers, however, are still down considerably from last year--at least 5 to 6 percent, Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations told AP. Studios are banking on the upcoming summer releases--starting with The Matrix: Reloaded which opens May 15--to help boost the sagging grosses.
THE TOP TEN
DreamWorks' PG-13 campaign comedy Head of State was voted into the top spot with an ESTIMATED $14 million at 2,150 theaters ($6,512 per theater).
The comedy centers on a good-hearted Washington, D.C., neighborhood alderman who is plucked from obscurity to run as a candidate for President of the United States--and shows how a real presidential campaign should be run.
Directed by and starring Chris Rock, the film also stars Bernie Mac, Lynn Whitfield, Robin Givens and Tamala Jones.
Buena Vista's PG-13 Bringing Down the House, which has ruled for the last three weeks, dropped a notch to No. 2 with an ESTIMATED $12.5 million (-23%) at 2,910 theaters (+39; $4,296 per theater). With a total of approximately $100 million so far, House joins How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days (whose cume is approximately $101.1 million) as the second film released in 2003 to hit the $100 million mark.
Directed by Adam Shankman, it stars Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.
Third place belonged to Paramount Pictures' new release PG-13 The Core, which nearly caught up to House with an ESTIMATED $12.4 million at 3,017 theaters ($4,110 per theater).
The disaster flick follows a team of scientists who must journey to the center of the Earth to jump-start the planet's slowing rotation before the world is literally cooked by electrical storms.
Directed by Jon Amiel, it stars Hilary Swank, Aaron Eckhart, Delroy Lindo, Stanley Tucci, D.J. Qualls and Tcheky Karyo.
Following close behind, Sony Pictures' R-rated Basic opened in the fourth spot with an ESTIMATED $12.1 million at 2,876 theaters ($4,207 per theater).
The military drama focuses on a rebellious DEA agent who investigates the disappearance of an elite squad of Army Rangers in Panama.
Directed by John McTiernan, it stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Connie Nielsen.
Dropping off a bit in box office grosses, Miramax Films' PG-13 Chicago managed to stay in the middle of the pack at No. 5 with an ESTIMATED $7.4 million (+20%) at 2,701 theaters (+136; $2,746 per theater). The film's cume is approximately $144.8 million.
Directed by Rob Marshall, it stars Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere.
*Box office estimates provided by Exhibitor Relations, Inc.
Last week's No. 2 opener, Warner Bros. R-rated Dreamcatcher, slid way down to sixth place with an ESTIMATED $6.3 million (-58%) at 2,945 theaters ($2,158 per theater). The film, based on the Stephen King novel about four friends who must deal with an alien invasion, has made approximately $25.3 million so far.
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, the film stars Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Jason Lee, Damian Lewis and Donnie Wahlberg.
MGM's PG-rated Agent Cody Banks, now in its third week, also dropped a few notches from third to seventh place with an ESTIMATED $6.1 million (-34%) at 2,786 theaters (-583 theaters; $2,190 per theater). The 'tweeny spy flick's cume is approximately $34.8 million.
Directed by Harald Zwart, it stars Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff and Angie Harmon.
At No. 8, Buena Vista's animated G-rated Piglet's Big Movie dropped a spot from its opening last week but still attracted the younger set with an ESTIMATED $4.6 million (-25%) at 2,084 theaters ($2,207 per theater). The story about how little Piglet becomes the big hero has taken in approximately $12.4 million so far.
Directed by Francis Glebas, it features the voices of John Fiedler, James Cummings and Andre Stojka.
Miramax's PG-13 View From the Top slipped from its fourth place opening to ninth place with an ESTIMATED $3.8 million (-46%) at 2,508 theaters ($1,515 per theater). About a girl from a Nevada trailer park who sets her sights on becoming a flight attendant, its cume is approximately $12.5 million.
Directed by Bruno Barreto, the film stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Kelly Preston and Christina Applegate.
Rounding out the Top 10, Paramount's R-rated The Hunted took in an ESTIMATED $3.6 million (-44%) at 2,244 theaters (-273 theaters; $1,638 per theater). Now in its third week, the knife-driven thriller's cume is approximately $29.2 million.
Directed by William Friedkin, it stars Tommy Lee Jones, Benicio Del Toro and Connie Nielsen.
OTHER OPENINGS
United Artists' R-rated drama Assassination Tango opened in seven theaters with an ESTIMATED $64,000 ($9,143 per theater).
The film is directed by and stars Robert Duvall as an assassin stuck in Buenos Aires on a job who becomes enmeshed in the world of the dance club tango. The film also stars Ruben Blade, Kathy Baker and marks the debut of Lucianna Pedraza, Duvall's real-life partner.
WEEKEND COMPARISON
This weekend's top 12 haul totaled only $87.3 million, down almost 24 percent from the same weekend last year, which saw a take of $114.2 million.
Last year, Sony's R-rated Panic Room debuted at the top of the box office with $30 million at 3,053 theaters ($9,845 per theater); Fox's PG rated Ice Age came in second with $18 million at 3,333 theaters ($5,441 per theater); and Buena Vista's G-rated The Rookie opened in third with $16 million at 2,511 theaters ($6,381 per theater).

In this latest doomsday pic Earth's inner core has stopped rotating a situation that will eventually cause the planet's electromagnetic fields to collapse. If it isn't fixed pronto static charges will create "super storms" that will generate hundreds of lightening strikes per square mile and cause microwave radiation to ultimately cook the planet. Government and military officials conjure up a team of scientists led by geophysicist Josh Keyes (Aaron Eckhart) to travel to the planet's core and get it spinning again. Accompanying them are geophysicist Dr. Zimsky (Stanley Tucci) atomic weapons expert Dr. Levesque (Tchéky Karyo) "terranauts" Major Childs (Hilary Swank) and Commander Iverson (Bruce Greenwood) and Dr. Brazzelton (Delroy Lindo)--the renegade scientist who built the subterranean vessel. Their mission is to travel to the center of the earth to detonate a nuclear device that will hopefully jump-start the core and save the world. Like the "terranauts" grinding their way through Earth's layers to get to the planet's core The Core laboriously plods through the storyline to get to its climax--and both are equally uneventful.
Despite a really corny scene in which he demonstrates what will happen to the planet by torching some sort of fruit on a fork Eckhart (Possession) is believable as the sensible Keyes. Co-star Swank (Insomnia) meanwhile brings intensity to the role of fledgling astronaut Childs. It is Tucci (Big Trouble) however who creates the film's most interesting character the arrogant Dr. Zimsky. The diva-esque geophysicist heads to the center of the earth in style with his Louis Vuitton monogrammed canvas bag and an endless supply of cigarettes--making him politically--and refreshingly--incorrect. You'll love how he pompously records the mission's progress in a Carl Sagan-style narration. Back at mission control D.J. Qualls' computer-hacking character Rat mirrors a recent report describing the characteristics of computer virus writers: Male. Obsessed with computers. Lacking a girlfriend. Aged 14 to 34. Capable of sowing chaos worldwide. Qualls (The New Guy) couldn't be more suited for this digital graffiti artist role.
Director Jon Amiel helps define the film's main characters by weaving vignettes of their everyday lives throughout the first half of the film but so much effort is devoted to exploring their individual backgrounds that relationships among the team members are never established. The minor characters are like extras in a Star Trek episode--they're just onscreen to die. The Core also fizzles as a believable disaster movie because of its flimsy scientific reasoning even if you try to suspend your disbelief for the sake of cinematic "escapism." While I can make myself believe for example that a government-created weapon of mass destruction is to blame for the planet's imminent annihilation I cannot buy into the notion that this high-tech vessel was built by a renegade scientist in his backyard and is able to withstand the rough trip to the center of the earth. Although the film's original November release date was delayed because more time was needed to complete the special effects don't expect to be visually dazzled by the voyage. Most of what we see is what the "terranauts" see on their screen: spotty black-and-white renditions of sharp jagged rock. Scenes of the Roman Coliseum getting zapped by lightening and San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge melting aren't convincing either.

Top Story
Following Saturday's space shuttle Columbia disaster, Paramount Pictures has decided to pull its trailer for its sci-fi thriller The Core because it shows the space shuttle in jeopardy, Variety reports. The studio is keeping its March 28 release date for the pic, but is reviewing its advertising to make certain the campaign is sensitive to the tragedy. The studio also said it is too soon to decide whether to alter or cut out shuttle sequences from the film. The Core, directed by Jon Amiel, revolves around a group of NASA "terranauts" who must travel deep underground after the Earth's inner core stops rotating, creating a host of natural disasters. It was originally slated for release last November but Paramount delayed the release in order to complete more f/x shots.
Celebs
Superior Court Judge Bernard Kamins has eased terms of probation for comedian Paula Poundstone. Her psychological counseling sessions have now been reduced from four to two a month and her Alcoholics Anonymous meetings from three to two a week, Reuters reports. In December, Poundstone, 43, regained full custody of three adopted children she lost after pleading no contest to child endangerment, which involved driving drunk with children in her car.
Sotheby's auction house has filed a lawsuit against pop recluse Michael Jackson, saying he placed bids on two paintings then refused to pay, Reuters reports. The auction house is seeking $1.6 million in damages--$1,324,247 for the paintings plus at least $60,733 in late fees. According to court papers, Jackson submitted a $1.3 million bid on Oct. 29 for two 19th century paintings by William Adolphe Bougereau. But Sotheby's claims Jackson changed his mind about the paintings after concluding they didn't fit into his collection.
Movies
Director Fernando Leon de Aranoa's Mondays in the Sun won all the major Spanish Goya film awards this weekend in Madrid, The Associated Press reports. The film won five awards out of eight nominations, including best film and best director. The film is Spain's candidate for an Oscar nomination for best foreign language film. Meanwhile, Pedro Almodovar's Talk to Her--nominated for seven awards--only managed to take the best original score prize. Talk to Her won the Golden Globe for best foreign film last month.
Danny DeVito's Jersey Films will dissolve when its deal with Universal Pictures expires at the end of 2003, Variety reports. The production company was behind hits including Erin Brockovich, Get Shorty, Pulp Fiction and Out of Sight. Sources said there was no hint of conflict between DeVito and his partners, Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher, but after 12 years, the principals found their interests going in different directions.
Beatrice Welles, the daughter of Orson Welles, filed a lawsuit Friday claiming she is the owner of the rights to film classic Citizen Kane, Variety reports. The suit alleges that Orson Welles entered into a 1939 contract to write, produce and star in Citizen Kane and The Magnificent Ambersons but that contract was voided by a later agreement between Welles and RKO Pictures in 1944 that restored the films' copyrights to Welles. The suit contends that even if the 1939 agreement is in effect, Welles' heirs still own the rights to the two films and are contractually entitled to 20 percent of the profits from them.
Tube
But wait, there's more on Jacko. In his documentary Living with Michael Jackson, Martin Bashir describes the 44-year-old singer as the Peter Pan of pop who is obsessed by the idea of childhood being frozen in time, Reuters reports. The British documentary will air Feb. 6 on ABC as a two-hour edition of news magazine 20/20. Bashir told Britain's Sunday Times he arrived at Jackson's Berlin hotel last November just 30 minutes after he had dangled his youngest child from the balcony to show fans below. "Not one of his entourage was prepared to tell him that what he had done was ludicrous and dangerous," he said.
It's the end of the road for Dawson, Joey, Jen, Jack and Pacey. The WB network will air a two-hour Dawson's Creek's series finale May 14, Variety reports. The show debuted to the WB's highest-ever ratings in January 1998 and immediately became the network's No. 1 show in key demos. "We will always carry an emotional attachment to Dawson's Creek, for without it the WB would not exist," WB entertainment president Jordan Levin said. "The show defined who we are and reflected the aspirational voice of the next generation of television viewers. The WB has grown up alongside the cast and in the process the series became a defining and life-altering experience for all involved."

Top Story
The 59th Venice Film Festival will kick off its venue with the long-awaited Frida, a biopic about the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, starring Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas. Other films in competition include Steven Soderbergh's newest, Full Frontal, and Sam Mendes' Road to Perdition, starring Tom Hanks, as well as Between Strangers, the directorial debut of Edoardo Ponti, the 29-year-old son of Sophia Loren, who also stars in the film. Those celebrities scheduled to attend include Hayek, Loren, Hanks and Julianne Moore with her film The Hours. The festival runs Aug. 29 to Sept 8.
Celebs
Not to be outdone by another pop diva, Celine Dion is jumping on the fragrance-line bandwagon. (J.Lo, watch out.) Dion will be creating a perfume with Coty Inc., which also produces Jovan and Stetson fragrances, and the scent should be in stores in early 2003. Jennifer Lopez's fragrance, Glow, is ready to hit the market soon.
Supermodel Naomi Campbell may have to wait until October before learning if she has beaten an appeal by the British tabloid Daily Mirror, which was ordered in March to pay her damages of $5,493 for breach of confidence and invasion of privacy. Why the wait? The Court of Appeal in London is going on a summer break and won't be back until October. Campbell's lawsuit stems from the newspaper reporting that she was attending Narcotics Anonymous meetings.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' 25th annual Kennedy Center Honors will go to an eclectic group that includes Elizabeth Taylor, James Earl Jones, Chita Rivera and musicians Paul McCartney and James Levine. The honorees will be received at the White House Dec. 8 before attending the Honors Gala event at the Kennedy Center. CBS will air the two-hour special later in December.
Movies
Director Jon Amiel (Entrapment) is in negotiations to remake the 1966 thriller Seconds, which was directed by the late John Frankenheimer and starred the late Rock Hudson. Variety reports the film centers on a man who trades his life for a new identity and gets more than he bargained for. Sounds thoroughly Twilight Zone-ish.
HBO will be releasing its first feature film in October with Real Women Have Curves, the winner of this year's audience award at the Sundance Film Festival. Based on Josefina Lopez's autobiographical play, the film takes a look at a first-generation Mexican-American woman who lives in East Los Angeles and tries to balance her ambitions and her cultural heritage.
Tube News
NBC is bringing back the old in a brand-new way. The Rerun Show, which airs this Thursday at 9:30 p.m., has an ensemble cast re-enacting storylines from such sitcoms as Diff'rent Strokes, The Partridge Family, One Day at a Time and Bewitched. The episodes run shortened, yet word-for-word, as the actors impersonate the original sitcom stars--and the absurdity of it all isn't lost. Executive Producer David Salzman told The Associated Press, "If you can do it with Shakespeare, why can't we have fun with these shows?" Why, indeed.

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US TV debut, "The Luck Child", an episode of "The Storyteller", a Jim Henson-produced children's fantasy series

Produced the British TV series "Tandoori Nights" (also directed)

Began professional career composing music for the theater

Became literary manager for Hamstead Theatre Club and began directing for them two years later; also director for Royal Shakespeare Company

Directed a dozen films for British TV including "A Sudden Wrench", "Gates of Gold", "Busted" and "Romance, Romance"

US directing debut, "Tune in Tomorrow"

Feature directing debut, "The Silent Twins", a BBC produced psychodrama screened at the London Film Festival

Helmed first feature released theatrically in the US, "Queen of Hearts"

Joined BBC as story editor while taking a three-month directing course

Summary

An acclaimed British TV director, notably of Dennis Potter's surreal musical mystery drama "The Singing Detective" (BBC, 1986-87; PBS 1988), Jon Amiel successfully segued to features, gaining notice and accolades for "Queen of Hearts" (1989), a charming saga of an Italian immigrant family transplanted to England as seen through the eyes of a child. This beguiling blend of comedy, fantasy and drama lit the way to the US, where Amiel directed Peter Falk and Barbara Hershey in "Tune in Tomorrow" (1990), a light-hearted romp that took place in and around a New Orleans radio show.

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Role

Comments

Education

Name

University of Cambridge

Notes

"I've always had an interest in that place, almost between sleeping and waking, where the reality of the mind and the reality of the outside world meet. In my films, fantasy, myths and dreams all have, in a sense, equal weight to physical reality." --Jon Amiel